Want to remain as a sincere party worker: Abhishek

KOLKATA: In his maiden interview to a television channel on Thursday, Trinamool Youth Congress president Abhishek Banerjee reiterated that Mamata Banerjee would come back to power for the third consecutive time with a 2/3 majority.

"On May 2, when the results are announced, Trinamool Congress will get 2/ 3 majority and Mamata Banerjee will form the government for the third consecutive time," he added.

Asked whether he would like to be the Deputy Chief Minister in Mamata Banerjee government, Abhishek said: "Mamata Banerjee does not need any deputy, she is competent enough to rule the government. I want to remain a sincere party worker whose only concern is the well being of the people of Bengal."

When asked to comment on Narendra Modi and Amit Shah's "Bhaipo" or "Bhatija" innuendos, Abhishek said: "As a social being, I am 'bhaipo' or 'bhatija' of some people. When Modi ji calls me 'bhaipo' in every speech, I consider this to be a blessing as I have become so important that the Prime Minister of the biggest democracy in the world has to refer to me in every speech. Over and again, I have requested them to take my name instead of using rhetoric."

Referring to the allegations of Trinamool Congress following "dynastic rule," Abhishek said: "Winning from Diamond Harbour constituency was not an easy task. My predecessor had left the party and people had many grievances like poor infrastructure, scarcity of drinking water among others. They had even staged demonstrations. Had Mamata Banerjee believed in dynastic politics, she could have fielded me from south Kolkata."

Coming down heavily on the traitors, Banerjee said: "We found that in the name of party's observers, some leaders were trying to control the districts. They had posted their own persons in key posts and tried to backstab the party. When we got concrete proof, we decided to do away with the observer system. This had angered some leaders who left the party and used harsh words against the party."

Asked to comment on Trinamool Congress becoming a "private limited company" as alleged by the BJP, he said— without naming Suvendu Adhikari— "He (Suvendu) was a minister, his father and brother were MPs, his brother was the Chairman of a municipality. He had set up a private limited company which I brought down to a public limited company."

Asked what had prompted him to join politics, he said: "When I was a child, I saw Mamata Banerjee being beaten up by CPI(M) cadres. I took a vow to oust CPI(M) that had caused so much pain to her."